


Afterlife

by call_me_lenora



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Afterlife AU, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Chihiro is baby, Happy Ending, Heaven, I'm sorry in advance for the angsty parts, M/M, Purgatory, hints of Daiya/Chihiro cause it's cute, ishimondo - Freeform, lots of fluff, lots of love, this was a quick idea and I needed to write about it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:07:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24057994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/call_me_lenora/pseuds/call_me_lenora
Summary: - SPOILER AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -As Kiyotaka leaves the face of the earth, there is no greater wish in his heart than to see his best friend again.Will Mondo be able to escape the last court and arrive in Heaven? Or will he be destined to rot in Hell?
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Guys!
> 
> I'm new to the fandom, but I sincerely love Trigger Happy Havoc so much, and I simply fell for Ishimondo. They've become one of my absolute favourites.  
> This story idea came up while talking to a friend and developing tiktok videos, so I really hope you like it.  
> I started off with his arrival and will update the story bit by bit.
> 
> Enjoy <3

It could have been so easy.  
Alter Ego was waiting, Ishida knew that he would only be a blink away. His fingers softly settled on the doorhandle and pushed the door open. It was peaceful and quiet and the closer he came to the locker that held his petite friend captive, the more he realised the tingling sensation in his chest.  
Both Chihiro and Mondo had forgiven him. He still felt his friend's presence in his veins, and the longer he stayed, he knew that the former biker remained in his beating heart.  
But for now, he only wanted to talk to the little one. A smile crossed his face as he thought of the moments they would share, the stories they would tell.  
He reached out, his fingertips barely touching the wood, as a piercing, numbing pain shot through his spine. First, his head collapsed, he tumbled to the side, tried to hold on.  
It was already too late.  
He heard Hifumi shout behind his back, something about "Alter Ego is mine!", before darkness took over. Brooks of blood made their way across his skull as he softly drifted into sweet unconsciousness.  
"So, this is it," he thought as his powers left his motionless limbs. He felt the floor pressing against his cheek as life left the last part of him.  
"I beg you, let me be with them," he thought, as nothingness overwhelmed him. "I need them... Don't let me die alone."

For a moment, the world held its breath. He felt himself drifting away from his body, floating above what once was him, seeing how Celestia raised her mallet of justice and -  
he screamed at her to leave Hifumi alone, but no sound escaped his throat. An indescribable force pulled him away from the scene, out of Hope's Peak Academy, far, far up into the sky. The destruction in the town he had formerly known as his home rendered him speechless. As tears ran down his face, he knew that there was nothing he could do. He was gone, no longer part of this world he had called his own.  
He accepted his fate and turned around. There, just behind the clouds, was a light waiting for him. It pulled at his core, dragging him closer and closer, as he finally managed to move. His feet danced on top of the winds, the clouds aiding every step, as he finally entered the gates. Apparently, someone had waited for him. 

"You are earlier than I expected."  
A tall man with a friendly smile greeted him, grabbing his wrist to pull him up onto his plane of existence.  
"You've expected me?"  
"It was only a matter of time, Kiyotaka. Pure souls don't last for a while. They leave their mark and enter this realm as soon as they are ready. You, my friend, have found your blessing earlier than we had foreseen."  
He flipped through his chart and peaked over his board to look into his flaming red eyes.  
"My blessing." Kiyotaka swallowed, lowering his gaze at his hands. "I appreciate your offer, but I... I refuse."  
Surprise crossed the gatekeeper's face, as a silhouette made its way towards the gates. The golden bars glistened in the sunlight, as the entrance opened with a familiar squeak. 

"Kiyotaka Ishimaru?"  
The moral compass lifted his head, straightened his back in a heartbeat and focused on the man in front of him. As he watched the pompadour bend against the wind, the black eyeliner framing purple eyes, he felt as if he was dying all over again. His heart strings tore apart, as he stumbled towards him.  
"M-Mondo?"  
A gentle laugh escaped the shadow's lips, as he stopped right in front of him, allowing him to look up into his face. Now, that he could see the details of his, the lines around his eyes and the true colour of his hairdo, he understood that he'd made a mistake.  
"Oh, don't look at me like that. I know someone who will give me a very hard time if I make you cry. So..."  
He slapped his shoulder and squeezed it. "Keep it together, man. I'm here to help."

Feeling tears burning in the corners of his eyes, Kiyotaka swallowed the lump in his throat and wiped across his face. "How dare you trick me like that?!" he suddenly burst out, shoving his hand to the side. "If you know who I am, why would you make me believe that this place is the right one for me?! Why wouldn't you let me go?! I don't belong here, goddammit! I need to be -"  
"Down there?"  
The biker stopped, a gentle smile adorning his face. Taka could see the pain in the other's eyes as he came closer to him.  
"As I said, I am here to help you. My brother is still speaking in front of the court. As well as Leon and Sayaka."  
It felt, as if the floor was about to pull him down.  
"That means... you are -"  
"Daiya Oowada."  
"...and Mondo..."  
"Is still waiting for his trial to be over, yes."  
Daiya's arm softly pulled him back up, before he led him past the gates.  
"I'll take over from here, Peter. Don't worry about it. I'll take care of him."  
As they entered the city, buildings, plants and animals formed in front of them, every single one in tip top shape, healthy, ornate and glowing. The streets were paved with gold and far off in the distance he could see a castle surrounded by buzzing creatures, flying in and out with piles of documents in their arms, tightly pressed against their chests.  
Passing by one house after the other, Taka noticed families playing board games and laughing together in their homes. Around the corner, a girl played the guitar sitting on the pavement and somewhere to his left, he heard a dog barking enthusiastically, as his owner told him to catch the ball in their thriving garden.  
It surely made his heart sink to see all of them so happy, but he couldn't help but smile. 

"You are thinking of him, don't you?"  
Kiyotaka nodded and held his breath. He tried to copy the positivity that Daiya tried to spread, but he couldn't help but notice that his own grin was everything, but real.  
"He is my...bro after all, right? How could I be happy without him?"  
Daiya's nose crinkled, as he beamed at him. Was he making fun of him?  
"You sure are something different, hm?" He let go of him and nodded towards the central plaza. "I knew my brother wouldn't choose a boring guy as his partner."  
The hall monitor stopped, his cheeks burning up like a wildfire. "What is that supposed to mean?"  
Before he could catch up with that giant of a man, a sudden burst of energy ran into his side. He nearly fell, as he felt two delicate arms wrapping around his waist, hugging him tightly. 

"You're here!"  
In confusion, Kiyotaka lifted his arm and gazed at the tiny blonde creature that, to his shock, looked at him with the biggest brown eyes he had ever known.  
"F-Fujisaki."  
"Please...it's Chihiro. I am so glad that you're here! It was so lonesome and boring waiting for you guys to arrive. Do you think, the others will be here, too?"  
His lips parted, but he didn't say anything, as his hand softly stroke his hair. "I...don't know. Hifumi may... but... I hope we won't see any of the others that soon."  
He noticed a change, as Chihiro took a step back, crossing his hands in front of his hips. Just now, he realised that Chihiro was wearing a white suit instead of his usual skirts and dresses. It felt like a uniform, capturing his petite physique while keeping his boyish features.  
"I-I didn't think about that... I'm so sorry."  
Fujisaki averted his gaze and bit his lower lip. 

"No reason to be sad, little one." Daiya smiled at them, crossing his arms in front of his chest.  
"It can be quite lonesome up here, but Kiyotaka is right. We should wait for them as long as we need to. Let them have their time down there and who knows? Maybe they'll find a cure for the world's madness."  
Kiyotaka nodded and walked further towards the central plane.  
"Did you already know him, Chihiro?"  
"Yup. Daiya talked to me when I arrived."  
".. I told him that his inventions are the best work I've ever seen." He saw Chihiro cheer up as Daiya gave him a wide, hearty grin. It was a relief to see how much his programmer friend warmed up in the biker's presence.  
"It was quite a pleasant time here, Kiyotaka," Chihiro continued, "We went out for food, got to meet new people, and Peter is always telling us what's going on. Sayaka for instance should be here in less than a day. Her friends are already waiting for her."

Kiyotaka felt how he was slowly drifting off, his thoughts somewhere in the clouds above them. He watched an artist swiftly swirling his brush over canvas, capturing the beautiful sight of wandering dreams sparkling at the horizon. A mother with tiny scars on her left cheek handed an icecream cone to her little daughter, and ten meters to the north, an old cat balanced on the tip of a roof, its tail rhythmically swaying from side to side.  
He lost himself in a moment of bliss when a sudden, familiar sting pierced through his heart.

"I never really blamed Mondo for what he did, I mean... I've never seen him so sad before."  
Taka froze on the spot, waiting for Chihiro and Daiya to catch up.  
"I remember that it hurt, but I couldn't stand him being this upset. I could feel he didn't want to do it when he did it, I could feel that he picked me up, before I blacked out. I really hope he makes it."  
With shaking hands, Taka barely managed to hold back his tears, as his friends arrived at his side.  
"I hope so too, it broke my heart knowing that he felt so broken because of me. I never meant for him to feel pressured. I might have made my mistakes, but.. he is and always will be my little brother."  
By now, his friends heard him sobbing desperately. His head had dropped onto his chest, his shoulders shook with every breath and his fists were clenched tightly as tears streamed down his face.  
"I should've prevented it," Kiyotaka whimpered as they circled around him. "I should've gone with him. I should've stopped him!" His eyes filled with tears, he grabbed Chihiro by his shirt.  
"I am so sorry, Chihiro! You should be down there with the others! You had so much to live for!"

Blinking, Chihiro looked up to him, before he gently took Kiyotaka's hands into his own and held them.  
"It's alright, Taka... I don't blame him, and I surely don't blame you. It is nice up here. I enjoy every day and noone, not one single person has ever said something bad about me. I can be...myself."  
He lay his hands on Taka's cheeks and beamed up to him. "There was nothing you could have done, and I know that Mondo's the same. If Monokuma had never arrived, he never would have killed me.  
Let's hope he will come back soon, hm?"

As his hand softly lay down on Chihiro's, he replied with a nod and wiped the tears from his face.  
"Hope...yes...Let's hope for the best."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me longer than I expected, since I had to edit this chapter so, so many times.
> 
> Be warned that this chapter has strong language and a bit of horror and angst in it!!!  
> Otherwise, enjoy - and trust me, I won't make you suffer for long ;)

"WHAT THE FUCK IS HOLDING YOU BACK?! I've said everything I had to say. Just let me go! Have you got any idea what's going on?!"  
Mondo's screams echoed in the court room. He heard the sound recocheting from the walls, losing itself somewhere close to the ceiling he couldn't see. The room didn't seem to end anywhere near him.  
"Watch your language, young man."  
In the midst of heaven's court, a familiar face beamed at him. Their long brown curls fell onto their shoulders, framing their elegant features as if they sprung out of a painting. It made him sick to look at them. Why the hell did they have to be this beautiful?  
"You remember why you're here, don't you?" Mondo met their gaze, purple piercing through crystal blue.  
"'f course I do... I couldn't think of anything else."  
"Do you regret it?"  
He lowered his gaze, sighed and softly shook his head, in disgust with himself. "Yes, I do. Fuck, I would turn back time if I could."  
"Mondo, language -"  
"I know. I'm sorry." 

The angel raised their eyebrow and leaned forward to have a better look at him. Mondo's shoulders had dropped and the angel felt that his remorse was stronger than his rage.  
"So, do I understand it correctly that Chihiro Fujisaki's death was an accident?"  
Again, he shook his head.  
"No... It wasn't. I was weak. A fucking idiot. - He didn't...he didn't deserve any of this."  
"And still, you want us to send you to Heaven? A place that must be earned by purity, courage and compassion?"  
Mondo clenched his fists on top of the railings of his stand, pushing himself up to face his interviewer.  
"Yes. I can't go to Hell, don't you understand? There is someone waiting for me and I can't...I just can't let them down."  
The angel replied with a smirk.  
"Waiting for you? What do you mean?"  
He stopped in his tracks, irritation spreading across his face.  
"A friend of mine... they're still on Earth. They're waiting for me, I can...I can feel it. I promised them that I'll be there. I will do anything to earn a place, I tell ya. But... they're still down there. I at least want to see them again when... well, when they arrive up there."  
He pointed at Heaven's gate, somewhere in the far distance. It hurt to think about his friend. How Taka would age and thrive and explore the world without him. How he would find someone to spend the rest of his life with, slowly forgetting about his best friend.  
Would Taka ever be able to forgive him? Mondo highly doubted that.

"He's not there anymore."  
He felt a shiver running down his spine.  
"What?!"  
"I know you've tried to hide his identity from us, my friend, but we know who you are talking about and...I'm sorry, but... he's dead."  
His heart sank. His eyes burned up, his lips started shaking. In seconds, his mask shattered.  
"No..."  
While the ultimate biker fell onto his knees, the angel to the judge's side softly put his hand on his colleague's arm. "You shouldn't have told him that - look how upset he is."  
Mondo pressed his wrist against his mouth, desperately trying to hold back the tears that ran down his face.  
Michael's lips drew into a wicked smile.  
"He deserved to know-"

"Who did it?"  
The darkness in Mondo's voice cut through the silence. Surprised, the angels looked up, each and every pair of eyes fixated on him.  
"I swear to God, I'll kill whoever hurt him! He didn't deserve to die! If there is any person deserving to live, it's him!"  
The judge clenched his jaw, when his colleague gently pressed down on his arm.  
"Don't let yourself be fooled by his rage, Michael. May I?"  
The leader sighed and nodded towards the accused, allowing his colleague to rise from his seat and float towards him.  
The biker was uneasy at first and took a step back as the angel watched his every move, but then, he met his gaze. Emerald green...  
Mondo's anger melted away from him, leaving him bare.

The angel landed in front of him and made his way into his soul as their gaze became one.  
"Despair, fear, guilt... and so much love. You never wanted to harm anyone, did you? You never wanted to leave anyone behind."  
By now, the tears ran down his face, drawing black veins over pale skin. If he didn't know better, he probably would have started laughing by now. It had been years since he'd ruined his eyeliner - and he definitely wouldn't have guessed that that would happen in goddamn purgatory.  
"So what?" he finally raised his voice and stared at them. He stopped as he watched the angel's delicate features. They had flowing blonde hair, wore green robes and...  
"You really shouldn't...Y-you... better step away from me."  
"Why should I?" The angel couldn't help but smirk. "I'm here to help you."  
"I DON'T NEED ANY HELP!" 

Immediately, the angel pulled away, shock drawn across their face. Mondo didn't mean to lash out against them, but when he recollected himself, it was already too late.  
Michael had lifted from his chair, his eyebrows furrowed at the sight.  
"Raphael... Return to your seat. I guess, our killer has already chosen his destiny."  
Mondo slowly sank onto the rails, pressing his forehead against the wood. By now, his sobbing had grown desperate, childlike even. Shadows reached out to his legs, preparing to tear him down.  
It was time to make peace with his fate.

"He's just missing his friend, Michael. Can't you feel it? - Forget your ego this one time and try to understand."  
Raphael glared at his friend, as the warrior rolled his eyes and lifted his hand.  
In less than a blink, Mondo was screaming in pain. He threw his head back, his eyes glowing violently in the dim light of court.  
White silhouettes formed around him and finally, he felt how his mind lifted and a familiar sting returned to torture his brain.  
"What did you do?" Mondo whispered, as the pain stopped.  
"Just watch."

As Mondo regained control over his body, memories formed between him and the jury.  
One silhouette that grew spiky hair smiled at him before it turned towards a shadow that felt like his own.  
_"It doesn't have to be this way, you know? We don't need to be enemies."  
"Oh, please. Do you really think the two of us would get along? Not everyone can be as good as you at this shit."  
The spiky haired stopped, running his hand over his neck.  
"I'm not as good as I'd like to be. I work hard for it. And I am sure that you could become better as well, if you gave it a try."  
"No man, I'm good. But talk to Fujisaki. I bet you two would get along."  
"O-oh... of course. F-fine."_

"What is this? I don't remember any of it." Mondo took a step forward, trying to grab Taka's silhouette by the sleeve - only to see it turn to fog in his grip.  
"This is what they had taken from you. Two years of lifetime, so you would not realise that you killed those you had already grown to love."  
Raphael crossed his arms in front of his chest and shook his head. "I am not supposed to let you know everything yet, but I believe we owe you a few answers..."  
"...in time. He's not finished yet, Raphael."  
Michael took a deep breath in, as he took one of his memories and enhanced its colours. When he recognised their night in the sauna, shortly before everything went down, Mondo stumbled forward, reaching out to his and his friend's shadows.

_"You wanna give up yet?"  
"Of course not! I'll keep my word, no matter what!"  
"Oh, I swear, you'll go down in a second." _

"Competitive, arrogant and spiteful," Michael began and flew down, right towards him. "I should've send you down the moment I knew you'd arrive. - This is what you call friendship?"  
Mondo hesitated, but looked directly into his eyes.  
"Please...if you got to watch this, then... watch it all."  
Aggravated, Michael frowned upon him, but turned around. Mondo and Taka had taken a more comfortable seat, Taka barely being able to sit upright. 

_"Ey...Taka?"  
The black-haired one opened his eyes and smiled at him. It felt relaxed, happy even.  
"If I told you a secret, would you keep it?"  
"Is that a question? - I mean... of course, I would."  
Taka sat up in his seat, wiping the sweat off his forehead. They had been in the sauna for ages and after Naegi had left, they'd lost every track of time.  
"I... I hate this shit. This...game, the pressure, but... I want to survive. I need to keep my word, you know?"  
The hall monitor lifted an eyebrow and turned towards him.  
"Your word?"  
"Yeah..."  
Mondo ran his hand through the hair at the back of his neck and sighed.  
"My brother...Daiya... I promised him to take care of our gang. I'm a biker, y'know? Best biker around...well, kinda. My brother was the best before me."  
With each sentence his voice became more and more quiet.  
"Is something wrong?"  
As Mondo turned towards his rival, he noticed his worry in his eyes. That idiot actually cared.  
"...actually...yes."_

_With a gulp, he pulled his towel off of his pompadour and patted his soaking wet forehead.  
"My big bro... he died a few years ago...It was ...horrible, but I-I...I swore on my life that I keep my promise." He looked up into Taka's face.  
"He asked me to take care of the gang, save what we had built. The Crazy Diamonds..they're my family, everything I have. Everything else is gone. Even my dog."  
The thought of losing his baby boy made him realise how little he'd actually left on this crazy planet. That Daiya had died had been devastating, traumatising even... to lose the only creature that loved him the way he was, though...  
It broke him.  
Taka inched closer. A gentle smile landed on his lips.  
"I'm sure they'd be proud of you. You're at one of the most prestigious academies of Japan, representing your family in highest honours. If we continue to work together, I'm positive we can make it out of here. All of us."  
Mondo snorted.  
"You're always that damn optimistic, huh?"  
"Why shouldn't I be?"  
Taka leaned back and crossed his hands behind his neck.  
"This is my chance to rise to my calling, to prove that I've worked hard enough. Being the moral compass of this school will make sure that people will finally recognise my abilities."  
"Your abilities?"  
"Yes. I've studied every day for the past few years. I've done my training, done my homework, became a member of the moral committee... Everything that I've worked for peaks in this school."  
Taka smiled widely, looking up to him.  
Mondo turned towards him, softly shaking his head. In a weird way, he couldn't help but admire his ambition.  
"And there I was, thinking you'd just be one of those geniuses."_

_Immediately, Taka's smile morphed into a frown.  
"How dare you call me a genius?!"  
Confused, Mondo scratched his neck and pressed himself down into the bench as the hall monitor stood up to face him.  
"Calm down, man. Just thought you're intelligent, alright?"  
"I never was a genius and I never will be one of them! I am fighting for what I have and what I will become!"  
Mondo raised his hands, a crooked smile crossing his face.  
"Why are you so offended? I didn't mean to attack you."  
Realising he had overreacted, Taka sighed and ran his hand over his neck.  
"I'm sorry...I feared you would...make fun of my name."  
Mondo tilted his head. "Why'd I make fun of your name?"  
Surprised, Taka stopped. He adjusted the towel around his hips and thought of the right words, before he returned to his seat and ran his hand over his face.  
"You don't know about Toranosuke Ishimaru, my grandfather?"  
Mondo raised an eyebrow. "No. Why should I?"  
"He was prime minister of Japan."  
"What?!" Immediately, he turned to his rival.  
Taka hesitated to look at him, but felt it would be impolite and not particularly brave to avoid eye contact, so he replied by turning his head to him.  
"The fuckin' prime minister?!"  
"A former one, yes. He was a genius, someone who never made any mistakes... He could have had anything and lost it, because he didn't know how to do it right!  
After some time, people lost trust in him... He fell for corruption - in a heartbeat, he did not only lose his status... he lost everyone's trust and his company collapsed. We are still recovering from it."  
Speechless, Mondo gulped and sighed.  
"That's horrible. Sorry, man."  
"No, it's...alright, I guess. It taught me that being genuine and hard-working is the only way to earn what you want to achieve. I've prepared all my life for this.  
I want to redeem our name. Make the people forget what my grandfather had done by showing everyone that we are worthy of their respect. I am not going to back down ever again."_

With that, Michael stopped the memory.

"So...you were bonding over your background, I assume."  
Michael lifted his gaze from his fingernails and watched Mondo closely who'd completely lost himself in the sight of Kiyotaka talking.  
The expression in his eyes spoke of vulnerability and, well, unconditional love that the judge felt the urge to test him.  
"I guess you grew a lot closer than you'd first planned. Any... sins we should know about that follow after this?"  
Raphael's jaw dropped, while Mondo's cheeks turned dangerously red.  
"What is that even supposed to mean?!" Clenching his fist, he straightened his back and glared at him. The archangel didn't seem to care.  
"Oh, you know exactly what I mean."  
His crimson cheeks said enough.  
"Don't you think that goes a bit far, Michael?" Raphael asked him as he watched Mondo sheepishly staring at his hands. The biker knew that he was at a loss here, still he couldn't just shut up about it.  
"We didn't do anything of that sort... I guess" he finally replied and waited for Michael to turn back to him.  
"We finished our competition, I brought him back to his room and... we started calling each other 'bro'... He was my best friend. The only real friend, I guess."  
Michael rubbed his chin and, finally, closed his eyes to make a decision. 

"The jury will take some time off to discuss. In the meantime, you'll be brought to your cell. Pray if you must... and hope that someone in Heaven is just as eager to see you...as you are eager to see them."  
With that, the jury stood up, turned around and left him in the darkness. As he slowly rose from his stand, he felt the shadows creeping in, pulling at his arms and shoulders.  
< _It's time to leave... Follow us...Follow our voice._ >  
Feeling defeated, he nodded and left the room. The voices led him into a neverending corridor. Door to door, he saw thousands of people cowering in their cells. Some of them praying, some of them singing, others merely lying on the floor or their bed, waiting for their verdict.  
He was just about to enter his cell, as someone rattled at his bars.  
"HEY! Owada! Over here!"  
Mondo couldn't believe his eyes, as he recognised Leon Kuwata behind the door, staring at him. In all the time he'd known him, he had never seen him so angry and happy at the same time.  
"Why the fuck are you here?! What's going on?"  
In shame, Mondo shook his head. "Think about it, man. Why could I be here, huh?"  
< _We need to go, Mondo. No visits before the end of your trial._ >  
As the shadows gripped his wrist, he shook them off and walked towards his friend.  
"So...you too?" he heard Leon address him.  
Mondo could feel Leon's concern. A fact that was just as weird as it was comforting to him.  
"Guess, we're in the same boat. Take care, Kuwata. See you on the other side."

The shadows wrapped around his waist, his shoulders, and lastly his neck before they forcefully pulled him into his cell.  
Its bars closed with a bang, black ooze engulfed his limbs. An unsettling giggle crawled into existence.  
< _I'll have so much fun with you, Mondo..._ >  
A forceful shiver ran down his spine, as he recognised the voice talking to him.  
< _I need you to help me become stronger._ >  
He felt his lower lip starting to tremble, as he desperately tried to get loose.  
"Please..."  
< _What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?!_ >  
"Don't...!"  
The chuckling grew louder as the ooze slowly took form. Hazel eyes, a button nose and tender rosy lips formed in front of him. Light skin, light brown hair...  
Mondo felt as if his heart tore apart as Chihiro lay his hands onto his cheeks.  
< _Oh...Why don't you talk to me, Mondo? Why would you leave me alone?_ >  
"I-I beg you..."  
< _...You don't need to._ >  
Crying, he watched as Chihiro's eyes turned into an endless void. His shadows crawled into Mondo's skin, slowly entering his mind and body. While his body collapsed, a banshee's screech reverberated in the halls.  
< _I'm already taking what I deserve._ >


	3. Chapter 3

Shivering, Kiyotaka shot up from his bed and wiped his eyes. Tears, everywhere. Why? He couldn't remember any reason why he could be sad.  
Swiftly, he ran his hand over his face and lifted himself from his mattress. The light peeking through the room's white curtains reminded him of where he was.  
Just yesterday, he'd started his afterlife in Heaven. Daiya and Chihiro lived with him, at least for now. They had convinced him to explore the town and the people around. They'd even invited him to some incredibly delicious food and to play videogames as long as they'd be waiting.  
Waiting for what? 

Lost in thought, he walked into the bathroom, took a shower, dried his hair and styled it, got dressed. What had caused him to cry in a place like this? He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the fleeting memory of the dream that hadn't been meant to reach him.  
There were screams, somewhere in the back of his mind. A voice cracking and finally breaking as the darkness kept creeping in and then - purple eyes. Slowly, it dawned on him. He stumbled back and pressed his index fingers against his temples.  


"He's here... He's here somewhere.. But where? How can I get to him?"  
In a blink, he was out of the bathroom door and rushed into the kitchen. It was directly connected to the living room and he stopped in his tracks as he noticed his guests sleeping on the couch.  
Daiya had spread his arms and legs over the sofa's back and sides, while Chihiro had nestled himself between the gang leader's left arm and chest. He fit perfectly into the gap, snuggling against the larger man's chest; and surely, Taka felt bad for disturbing their little moment of intimacy, but this was more important than cuddling.  
They had to find the man they had been waiting for all day.

"Guys?"  
Taka didn't need to think twice to know that they were still sound asleep.  
"GUYS!"  
Chihiro twitched and sleepily opened his eyes.  
"Taka?" He wiped over his face and yawned, teary-eyed. "What's up?"  
Damn his cuteness. Taka sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as their eyes met.  
"I know where he is."  
In a heartbeat, the programmer sat up and leaned over the back of the couch to face him.  
"You've seen him? How? You didn't leave the building, did you?"  
Kiyotaka shook his head.  
"No, but.. but I've dreamt something. That's kinda...odd, don't you think?"  
Tapping his bottom lip with the tip of his index finger, the programmer nodded.  
"I've never dreamt anything over here... maybe it's a sign."  
Just then, a very annoyed sigh joined in.  
"Fuckin Hell, why won't you let me sleep?"  
"Good Morning, Daiya~"  
As Daiya opened his eyes, he was met with the loveliest smile Chihiro had to offer. He snorted and couldn't help but grin.  
"You're unbelievable" he mumbled as he sat up and ruffled through the younger one's hair.  
Surprisingly, Chihiro didn't even flinch when Daiya reached into his goldenbrown spikes - Taka reckoned he was used to it already. They must have been pretty close to begin with.  
"Why are you already up, Kiyotaka? It's your first day! You should be lying in bed, enjoying your day, instead of running around fully uniformed."  
Daiya looked him up and down and raised an eyebrow.  
"Please don't tell me, this is your usual attire."  
With a sense of shame, Kiyotaka looked at his hands, before he collected himself and pulled his jacket straight, removing even the slightest hint of a wrinkle.  
"It is my hall monitor's school uniform.. I..take pride in my task. I've been decorated three times. Had a lot of positive references."  
"Sorry that I gotta tell you this, bro, but you're dead. You could literally run around naked and pretty much no one would care. That's how life works around here. There are no rules, except not killing, not stealing and not disturbing anyone's peace.  
Otherwise, you are free to live however you want."

As he noticed how confused and helpless Kiyotaka looked, Daiya stopped and lifted himself up from the couch.  
"You really don't know how to live, do you, Kiyotaka?"  
The moral compass looked to the side, rubbing his lower arm.  
"That's not it. I've just...spent so much time studying and exercising, taking care of the right atmosphere at school and... defending my family's name... that I never really thought what my afterlife would be like.  
I always thought they'd celebrate me here. I would have friends and family and... not _this _."  
Chihiro climbed off the couch and walked up to him. He softly squeezed his wrist as tears flooded his friend's eyes.  
"You do have friends, you know? Daiya and I are here and I am sure there will be more of our class arriving soon. We care about you, Kiyotaka. And if you didn't have a purpose before... we'll help you find it."  
It was hard holding back the tears that forced themselves to the surface, but Kiyotaka managed to hold back his sobs and at least find a bit of tranquility. Feeling Chihiro squeeze his arm definitely helped.  
As if he needed some force from the outside to hold the pieces of his broken soul together.  
"Hang in there, Taka. There will be better times in the future. It was hard for me as well after I arrived here. Especially seeing my little brother struggle that much, but...you eventually get used to your life here. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want. No one scolds you for it and you're free to join any group you might be interested in.  
Most of the people here love to talk about their experiences and solve past trauma. It is quite hard sometimes, but it does wonders, believe me."  
He patted Taka's shoulder and walked into the bathroom to freshen up.__

____

____

While the biker was gone, Chihiro used his opportunity to gather information. He waited for the black-haired biker to close the door and immediately turned around to his friend.   
"What exactly did you see in your dream, Taka?"  
Kiyotaka looked down into Chihiro's eyes. "I don't remember every detail, but... Mondo was engulfed in darkness. Shadows were tearing at his clothes and limbs and he... he was screaming.  


He was screaming for me." 

________________________

Minutes later, Daiya returned to his friends and found them getting dressed for war. While Taka had chosen a bright white coat as his armour whose sleeves were adorned with red and golden symbols, Chihiro secured the belt of a white trenchcoat around his waist, pulling it tight.  
On Chihiro's back, a backpack filled with notebooks and an upgraded version of Alter Ego waited for him. He looked determined as the former gang leader faced him.  
"What are you up to, little one?"  
"It's Chihiro, Daiya. We're going to free your brother."  
Daiya immediately raised an eyebrow.  
"Free him?"  
"Yes. Kiyotaka told me that he was screaming...that there was a hellish entity pulling at his legs. Mondo was talking about him and me and.. even though I still feel..strange about what happened... He doesn't deserve this."  
They could see the leader's jaw clenching, as he made his way to the wardrobe and got his coat. He was remarkably quiet as he joined them and opened the door.  
"You still think there's a possibility that he might end up in Hell?"  
Chihiro and Kiyotaka exchanged looks and nodded.  
"It's the only way my dreams could be interpreted. I've seen a glimpse of the other side before I woke up. The gates are open and... I don't want to wait for them to just... drag Mondo down there" he explained.  
Lost in thought, Kiyotaka traced along the dragon's lines on his shoulder, before he stepped outside and let fresh air fill his lungs.  
"I will not watch my best friend fall. Not again. Not like that."

While Kiyotaka clenched his fist and strut towards the gate, Daiya caught up to Chihiro and waited until Taka was out of reach.  
"He's quite adamant if he wants something, huh?"  
"He always is... but I've never seen him that eager to fight for someone. He..usually... accepts the rules. This is most definitely against it" Chihiro answered and sighed softly.  
"D'you think it's what I think it is?"  
Chihiro nodded.  
"Yes... I just don't know if he sees it. He can be pretty stubborn."  
"Oh, I can definitely see that."  
Chuckling, Daiya signaled him to catch up with their friend, as the latter finally reached the golden gate. 

"Peter, Sir" Kiyotaka began, as he bowed deeply before the giant of a saint, "We're here to ask for your assistance. I need to go down."  
"Down?" Peter lifted his eyebrow. His beard had grown since they'd last met and now that Taka saw him up close, he didn't feel as intimidating as he'd first thought.  
"You can't go _down_. We've got strict laws stating that no one from up here is meant to go down there. You could say, Hell is closed."  
"I just need to get to court! It's a matter of life and death!!!"  
"It's definitely a matter of death. You know where you are, don't you?!" 

Kiyotaka felt rage building up inside his chest.  
"I demand access to the last court right now!"  
In a heartbeat, Peter's face grew dim.  
"You demand?"  
Gulping, Kiyotaka felt a shiver crawling down his spine.  
"Y-yes... pl-please..I... I need to see him."  
He felt his pulse rising, his heart hammering in his chest. His reaction was not good. Not at all.  
"You cannot do this!"  
Peter shook his head. As he noticed Daiya and Chihiro behind him, he locked eyes with Daiya. His voice echoed around them as he reached his final verdict.  
"If the jury decides to take him down, it's done. You can't change fate, we all know that. Accept the archangels' decision. It's the only thing you can do."  
As Daiya's chin slowly sank onto his chest, Chihiro bit into his bottom lip to stop it from shaking.  
Kiyotaka instead walked after him, right onto the edge of the clouds.  
"You can't do this! HE'S A GOOD MAN! HE'D DO ANYTHING FOR THOSE HE LOVES, HE WOULD NEVER WILLINGLY HURT SOMEONE...please...!"

Peter turned his back on him, walked away and slammed the door shut behind him.  
As Kiyotaka realised that there was no chance to reach him anymore, he sank onto his knees, sobbing.  
For a moment, he wished he could take Mondo's place. He knew the darkness... He had lived with it all his life.  
It wasn't the first time he had fallen. But seeing Mondo like this... Seeing him suffer even more than he had already when Monokuma pulled the lever...  
He wished so desperately to fall down the eternal stairs. To land next to him and tell him that everything would be alright...  
He wanted to lay his arms around him, hold him, say that he would be there, that there was nothing to fear anymore.

Just as his heart was breaking in two, the clouds vanished beneath him.


End file.
